


Hey, Cowboy

by Jolien



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Josh Swears A Lot In His Head, M/M, Playfullness, Welcome Home Fun, virgin killer sweater
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 19:11:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17106482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jolien/pseuds/Jolien
Summary: Josh knew Vasquez loved him. Now if he could just get him to admit it out loud...





	Hey, Cowboy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KiraYamiDemon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiraYamiDemon/gifts).



Joshua knew Vasquez loved him. They had been dating for eight months now, officially, after a long time of ‘kinda happening but not,’ so of course he knew. The problem – well, not a problem per se, more of a ‘thing,’ really – was: he’d never actually said it. Out loud. Not even right after fucking, tangled in sweat-damp sheets, with his voice rough on a half-caught breath. Which, still, not a problem. Except that Josh kind of wanted to hear it. Hence, the Sweater.

It hadn’t actually been his idea, at first. It hadn’t been an idea at all, because up until two days ago, hadn’t even known those things _existed_.

He had been too drunk to keep himself upright last Saturday, and had been looking for a place to sleep. As always when he was in that part of town he went to crash at Goodnight’s place – mainly because Goodnight tended to let him in in the middle of the night. They’d had their differences over the years, some more severe than others, but in the end, they were still family.

(Of course Josh would have preferred Vas’ flat over anything, but it had been – one – too far away, and – two – he hadn’t wanted to be alone in Vas’ crimson-sheeted queen size.)

So he’d fallen onto the couch, exhausted from a night of too much alcohol and too little boyfriend. He awoke the next morning to the smell of eggs and ham. It was a little nauseating, combined with his hangover, but also _delicious_. Doing what any sane person would do in such a situation, he got up and investigated.

Goodnight’s living room was a lovely, open space with huge windows facing south. They let in the sun, glinting clean through the glass; and the cream-colored walls gave the room brightness and air. The light, wooden flooring didn’t make a sound under Josh’s socked feet. Which was probably why he managed to get far enough to round the corner at the end to step into the open kitchen arrangement, before stopping dead.

Right in front of him, manning the stove, was Billy. In the Sweater – and nothing else.

If the strip of black woolen fabric could even be called that. It was almost non-existent. Oh, it had a collar, all right, like a proper turtleneck, but the back-cutout was so large it didn’t even support sleeves. The front of the garment fell down Billy’s chest like a loose, fluffy apron – a cursory nod to modesty – before widening to form the broad hemline, draped around Billy’s hips and stretching taut over his firm buttocks. Thick writing blazed in red over the round cheeks, probably saying something like “these are the sins you’re looking for” in Korean or something, and doing nothing to cover up the upper half of his crack. Or the tantalizing shadow between his thighs.

A second later, Billy’s fantastic ass whirled out of Josh’s field of vision as the man startled and swung around, giving him an even better view. The piece of sweater down the front was not wide enough to cover his nipples, and anything else of note was long enough to hang out – and _fuck_ , Josh was happily taken, but Billy was a totally different level of attractive.

It wasn’t weird that Billy was here. He and Goodnight had been married for a veritable age by now – three years, to be exact. Longer than any of the relationships Josh had ever been in. Technically, Josh was long over his jealousy of his cousin hitting it _big_. But seeing Billy here, like this, felt like someone had tied a ribbon around Josh’s dick from the inside and all of a sudden yanked so hard his cock stood to attention like a puppet on a string.

Billy’s eyes widened in obvious surprise. _Double fuck_. Apparently Goodnight hadn’t told him about their unexpected night guest, possibly because Billy had been asleep at three in the morning – and for one terrifying moment Josh saw his life end in the oil glistening reflection of the pan. Then Billy’s features had slowly transmuted into an icy stare of rage. Josh, terrified, hungover and hopelessly turned-on, was not too proud to say that he’d run as fast as his feet could carry him. He’d barely stopped for his shoes. Thankfully, he’d slept in all his clothes, so he didn’t attract too much attention among the morning commuters in the subway.

Goodnight had called later to make sure he was okay, of course. He’d sounded a little breathless and hoarse through the speakers, and Josh had mumbled something unintelligible, hung up and buried deeper into Vas’ soothing smell, floating on an ocean of red silk. Vas had a great bed. It was even better when the man was in it, Josh thought tiredly. Especially right now. His cock was throbbing in his pants. But he was committed to Vas, he couldn’t masturbate to the image of another man’s husband – and fuck, since when did Josh ever have such reservations?

He snaked a hand down under the covers and curled a hand around his shaft. He wasn’t quite as long-fingered as Vas, and he missed the drag of the calluses on the side of Vas’ index finger – all that note-taking and scribbling – and the dexterity constant typing blessed him with. Josh threw his head back, cheek against the pillow, remembering the way they would tighten around him _just so_.

“Oh yeah, like that, Vas.”

Unbidden, the image of Billy in the kitchen flickered in front of his eyes: the black sweater snug around his hips, stretching over the bulge in front, forming a sharp line against his leg. Gosh, his legs. It didn’t show in the ever-black, half-loose pants Billy typically wore, but he had glorious thighs. They’d been smooth, too, and freshly shaven. Which was way more than Josh ever wanted to know about Goodnight’s love life.

Josh let go of his cock with a groan. He curled up on the bed. At least _they_ were absolutely sure of their love life. So sure it was disgusting to witness, especially in public.

He and Vas weren’t like that. They’d always been more on the rough-and-joking side of ‘together.’ Not that Vas couldn’t be sweet, Josh thought longingly. The day before he left, Vas had made him ice cream and fried chicken for breakfast.

Josh smiled. Now that was a thought. He palmed his cock again and tried to picture it: Vas in the kitchen, in the morning, with nothing but a flimsy piece of wool on. Josh’s cock throbbed and he moaned. Oh yeah, that was definitely an image. If Vas ever did it, Josh definitely wouldn’t run – he’d pounce. Maybe wrap his arms around him from behind and nuzzle his neck. Or his hair, if Vas weren’t too tall for that.

Josh squeezed the base of his cock, gasping at the image. He could press his rock hard erection against Vas’ butt, slide it between his legs, against his taint and balls because of course he wouldn’t be wearing anything underneath. Then he’d slide a hand under his thigh and pull it up so Vas could brace himself on the counter, and Josh would slide right in. Vas would moan like he always did, soft and sweet, like he’d been waiting for it. He’d let his head fall against the overhead cupboards and push back against Josh like this was all he ever wanted and goddamn, if he was wearing that sweater, it probably was.

Josh’s hand moved faster over himself, feeling the first drops of pre-cum bubbling up, slicking his glide. The blanket was hot around him.

He could almost feel Vas’ sharp hip in the curve of his free palm, shuddering with every hard thrust, just the way Vas liked it. And he’d look over his shoulder with his eyes hazy and unfocused and all he’d see was Josh – in him and over him. Josh threw his head back against a cool patch of pillow, overtaken by Vas’ red-bitten lips quivering against his panting breaths, shiny with his spit. There was really only one way to make this better, and that was if he were here, looking at him with that same smoldering hunger. The way he always looked when he was above Josh and drew back from kissing, when their bodies moved together in this bed, right here, and Vas was deep inside _him_. And fuck, wasn’t that just his favorite position? He wished Vas were there.

Josh thought of him pressing him into the mattress with his whole weight and moaned, clawing the sheets off himself to get some air. When he squeezed his eyes shut Vas was with him, holding him down: an echo and a memory. Vas’ lips brushed against the side of his face, forming words he couldn’t understand, at first, over his own broken noises.

_‘–you, love you, I love you, Joshua.’_

Josh cried out, squeezing his cock hard, and came.

Then he panted up at the ceiling, seeing nothing and trying to find his bearings. Dread sank slowly into his stomach. He could still hear Vas’ voice.

_‘I love you.’_

The words alone sent shivers down his spine. Josh’s cock twitched.

_Fuck._

He needed to hear it. He had to make Vas say it. He had to blow Vas’ mind so hard he had no other _choice_ but to say it. And Josh knew just the sexy kink to start with.

He breathed in deep and the smell of his own sweat curled over his tongue. With new determination, he slid out of the wet spot and rolled over to pull his laptop from the floor into bed.

 

–

 

The day Vas came home, Josh was in the bedroom, contemplating the contents of his dresser drawer. He’d timed it that way, so Vas would put his suitcase and jacket down first, and maybe even get rid of the perpetual bad-weather jumper while he was at it, before stepping into the living room to look for him and–

“Güero?”

Anticipation sparked in Josh’s belly.

“Bedroom,” he called back. A smile curled his lips.

He listened to Vas’ thumping steps on the stairs, coming up into the attic maybe a little faster than he would have before. He knew something was up – how could he not, with Josh waiting for him in the goddamn _bedroom_. Giddy with excitement, Josh bent down to the lace he’d deliberately left tangled around his ankle. Time to get this show on the road.

The bedroom door creaked softly on its hinges as it opened, and Josh heard a gasp.

He couldn’t suppress the grin now, because he knew exactly what Vas saw: him, bent over, with nothing on but the crimson strip of woolen sweater where his butt met his thighs and below, the skin-tight, sheer red stockings. Even without the shoes, it was a damn good sight. Josh had made sure of that, and he’d been sorely tempted to jerk off to the sight of his own reflection in the mirror. Now he straightened slowly, allowing the muscles of his back to roll with the motion, uncurling his spine until he stood. He smirked over his shoulder.

“Hey, Cowboy. See something you like?”

Vas didn’t reply. He was just standing in the door, hand braced on the frame, with his mouth hanging open and his eyes round as saucers. Red spots burned on his cheeks, deepening in color as the flush spread to his ears and down his neck. Oh, he liked it, alright. 

Time for phase two. Instead of turning around, Josh hooked a finger into the collar of the sweater and drew the neckline down a bit, licking his lips. “I thought I’d prepare a little surprise.”

His words – or maybe his voice alone – seemed to shake Vas from his staring and he blinked, multiple times. His hand clenched at his side, a futile grabbing motion. The hem of his white shirt caught between his fingertips and he held on.

Josh couldn’t wait to have those fingers on his skin. He leaned forward onto the dresser, resting his elbows against the wood.

“Do you like it?”

“Güero,” Vas croaked.

Josh felt himself twitch against the wool just at the sound of his voice. Fuck, he’d missed him. The memory of how it had sounded in his dream pierced through him, igniting a flame at the bottom of his spine. He wriggled his hips and watched Vas’ eyes go dark. “Why don’t you come over here, Sexy?”

Vas was on him so fast Josh couldn’t even blink. He practically flew across the room, hitting his shin on one of the slim metal bedposts and not caring, rushing past as if it had never happened. The telltale stretch in the fabric at the front of his blue jeans, the ones that rode high around his ankles because he was just so freakishly tall, told Josh his plan was working. Also, damn, even that wink of ankle looked indecent on Vas.

Josh paused. What a weird thought. These weren’t the thirties, for fuck’s sake. But that was just what Vas’ skin always did to him. Then he didn’t have any more time to think because warmth washed over his back. They weren’t quite touching when Vas stopped, for some reason, and just breathed: ragged, rough wheezes that belied his fractured control.

Vas swallowed audibly. “May I touch you? Oh god, please let me touch you.”

Heat bloomed in Josh’s belly. It raced over his skin until he was engulfed in fire. “You can do more than touch, pretty boy.”

He’d tried for sultry but it came out breathless, and he almost didn’t recognize his own voice but that didn’t matter, because Vas’ hands gripped his waist and Josh’s pulse quickened.

Vas’ pupils were wide, and he stroked up to Josh’s shoulder blades to run his fingers under the edge of the sweater’s collar. Josh was abruptly reminded that he was almost naked, and Vas could touch him wherever he wanted. He bit down on a groan.

“I was actually hoping you’d put your hands all over me.”

Vas chuckled – a dark, husky rumble of delight that sent more shivers down Josh’s spine. He grinned as he met Vas’ eyes – finally, _finally_ , he was home again – and tilted his head. Vas met him easily, folding his hungry smile against Josh’s lips. Josh’s eyes fell shut, all his senses focusing on Vas’ mouth because fuck, he wanted it, he wanted to devour him whole. Vas’ tongue slid alongside his and Josh dug his fingers into the side of the dresser. No. He had a plan here. He had to–

Vas sucked at his lower lip, instantly derailing that line of thought. He could kiss like nobody’s business.

Josh pushed against Vas and the back of his thighs rubbed into the rough fabric of his jeans. Vas’ hips snapped forward in reply, slamming him against the dresser and pinning him there. Josh pulled back with a groan, grinning and dizzy.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” His grin widened. “How was your trip?”

Vas’ hands slid around Josh to splay possessively over his belly, nails scratching at his happy trail. “Good.” He tilted his head. “Coming back was better.”

Josh nuzzled the side of Vas’ face that he could reach.

“Good surprise, then?”

“Mmm. You used my shampoo.”

Vas’ beard bristled against Josh’s sensitive skin, making pleasure shoot down all the way into his toes and that was just _not fair_. Josh curled away with Vas’ amused snort in his ear and wriggled his butt in revenge. It got him the sweetest strangled sound in return.

Josh smirked.

Then he caught the determined expression that settled on Vas’ face. Josh’s amusement turned into molten lava right in his chest. Vas’ grip on him went from teasingly light to firm: a touch laden with intent. He slid his hands up under the sweater, pushing it away from Josh’s chest so he could brush the pads of his thumbs over Josh’s nipples.

“Oh, fuck,” Josh breathed, alight inside. He relaxed into the touch. He couldn’t help it, it just felt so _good_ when Vas touched him. He leaned back against Vas’ chest, head pillowed on his shoulder. “I used more than just the shampoo, y’know,” he informed him. “I got real clean.”

Vas stiffened. “Everywhere?”

His eyes were wide and stunned, and Josh shook with suppressed laughter. “Maybe?”

Vas drew a sharp breath and practically ripped his hand out of Josh’s sweater. He gripped Josh’s ass, squeezing it through the cotton. His fingers dug into the crack, searching until they encountered the flared base of the plug inside him. Even the light touch was enough to jostle it, and a different kind of pleasure rushed through Josh.

Vas looked at him in awe. “You got ready for me.”

“Mmm.” Josh slid his fingers back and into Vas’ hair. It was dry and a little slick with sweat. “Somehow I knew we’d end up right here.”

He drew Vas down until he could feel him against his neck again, and then rolled his pelvis suggestively. “Gonna show me what you got, Cowboy?”

Vas made a sound that was more wild than human and crowded him against the dresser. He turned Josh’s head to catch his mouth. Both of his hands settled on Josh’s hips then, hard enough to possibly leave bruises, and Josh found himself lifted off the floor.

Instinctively, Josh grabbed for the surface of the dresser. “Vas?”

Vas plopped him down against the smooth wood so Josh was now lying on it. When he stretched his toes their tips barely brushed the carpet. He wasn’t up that high, just enough that he had to rest his weight on his chest. With a hot shudder, Josh realized that he was trapped.

Vas nuzzled into his hair, stroking a hand up Josh’s thigh to slide it under the hem of the sweater and round front. “Yes?”

“Err,” said Josh, blinking rapidly. What was it he wanted to say again?

Vas pushed the sweater up and out of the way, bunching the soft material around Josh’s waist, and Josh felt the hem catch on the plug for a second before it tugged free.

He moaned.

The rustle of a zipper reached Josh’s ears; then something warm and slightly wet – and very, very hard – bumped his thigh. Vas didn’t even need to rock up on his toes to reach him. Also, he was still wearing all his clothes, and _boy_ did that ever do things for Josh’s libido. (So he got off on the power imbalance. Sue him.)

Vas nipped his ear. “Lube?”

Josh blinked. Lube, he had lube somewhere. “I, err?”

Chuckling, Vas splayed a hand over Josh’s naked ass. “Stay where you are.”

A cold rush of air billowed against the back of Josh’s thighs and he shot a baleful look over his shoulder. “As if I could move.”

Vas fetched the bottle of lube they kept on the nightstand – just out of reach from the dresser, dammit, Josh should have thought of that – and turned it contemplatively in his hand. “This was a lot heavier when I left.”

Josh shot him his most salacious smirk. “That’s a brand new bottle.”

Vas’ eyes widened, before he mirrored the grin. He squeezed a glob of lube onto his fingers. “Had a lot of fun without me, did you, güero?”

“Mmm,” Josh agreed, watching intently as Vas slicked up his fat, uncut cock. “I even made a video. Wanna see?”

Vas almost dropped the bottle. He pressed down on the base of his cock and moaned. “Güero, don’t say that.”

“Took a while to find the right angle,” Josh continued, unrepentant. “But I think I have it down now. My ass is truly the best view in this house. It’s quite artistic.”

Vas laughed out loud. “I don’t doubt it. But you should keep one thing in mind.” He dropped the lube onto the bed and leaned over Josh again, his shadow falling onto the wall. He loomed like a predator would over his prey, and Josh squirmed.

“What?”

Vas’ hand slid over the plug and Josh could feel the moment he gripped it: the light tug and repositioning to account for the slightly altered angle, maddeningly arousing.

“Your artistic ass is all mine,” Vas growled into his ear and began to pull.

Josh bit down a whimper at the sudden pressure on his sensitive hole. Vas was slow about it, calculated. He made Josh feel every millimeter of the stretch before his muscles finally gave and the plug slid out with a wet squelching sound, smearing his hole with lube that was burning hot from his insides. He clenched helplessly around the emptiness. “Vas!”

“Mmm.” Vas cast the plug aside – where it ended up, Josh couldn’t see, and even if he could it would probably just fly past his pleasure-addled brain without properly registering – and lined himself up. The blunt pressure of his cock pushed at Josh’s entrance, cool with fresh lube, and then Vas’ fingers slid in between to hold him open so he could watch himself. “Say that again.”

He rocked forward gently – his cock was much bigger than the plug, after all; not that Josh didn’t like it rough sometimes – and Josh dropped his forehead onto the dresser.

“Fuck, oh, fucking hell.”

Vas was as slow about this as he’d been with pulling the plug out. And then, because he was truly a bastard, he stopped _halfway inside_.

“You okay, güero?”

His voice was honey-sweet.

“Just peachy,” Josh groaned. The stretch burned, now. There was a rushing sound that might be an oncoming tsunami, or rush hour on the interstate. Or maybe his own blood in his ears. He felt more than heard Vas chuckle again.

Then the bastard started to pull out. Josh tensed, clenching up in panic, as if that could keep him from being empty again. It couldn’t: Vas slipped out of him in a smooth glide, and Josh couldn’t even follow. “You jackass.”

Vas stopped just short of entering Josh again and gave him his most innocent look. “May I?”

Josh groaned. “If you don’t get inside me right now I will punch you in the face. I’m not kidding.”

“That’s coercion.”

“Ha. You can’t resist my ass. Besides–”

Vas pushed in, effectively cutting off whatever Josh wanted say. Well, not quite. With every inch, more filth spewed from his lips. Most of it boiled down to rude and creative varieties of what they were doing right now. Apparently Vas didn’t mind, though, because he didn’t stop once until he bottomed out, settled so deep Josh had to take a moment to just breathe against the pressure. He couldn’t remember him ever having been this deep. But he must have been, and two fucking weeks had been long enough to forget it.

Vas tapped his side, then again more insistently. “You okay there, güero?”

“Ugh.”

“Was that a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’?”

A twinge of amusement curled through Josh and he placed both palms against the surface of the dresser. “Shut up and fuck me.”

Thankfully, Vas did. He gripped Josh’s hips, pulled out and drove into him again. It took them no time at all to find a rhythm that worked: they fell into sync like they had since the very first time, and soon Josh was moaning with every thrust. Pleasure pulsed through him and he thought he felt it way down deep in his bones: like every nerve ending lighting up.

And oh, yes, he was so full; this was what he’d been missing, the past two weeks. The kind of pleasure his own hand and toys couldn’t give him. Fuck, it hadn’t been that long but it felt like it and he knew right then that he wasn’t going to last. But that was okay because from the sounds Vas was making, he wasn’t going to either. His efforts were already growing frantic: he was practically polishing the dresser’s top with Josh’s sweater-covered front.

Abruptly reminded of it – he’d been vaguely aware of a nice warm rubbing sensation against his nipples – Josh remembered why he was actually wearing it. And then he remembered his objective. No better time than now, right?

Josh tried to focus on his breathing enough to get a lungful of air to speak.

“Hey,” he panted, “Vas. This good?”

Vas made a nice noise against his shoulder that was probably affirmation, before he nipped Josh.

Josh shuddered. “So you like m– it?”

“Yes, güero,” Vas rumbled against the back of his neck. He adjusted his grip on Josh so he could fuck him deeper. The new angle made Josh cry out. Fuck, that felt amazing. Too amazing. He needed to finish this before Vas finished _him_. Time for the big guns. “Oh, damn. You, you’re amazing, Vas. The best thing that ever happened to me.”

Admitting it aloud felt weirdly intimate. Josh thought he felt his cheeks warm, but that was impossible, because he definitely didn’t have enough blood left.

Vas moaned into his neck. “Güero.”

“It’s true,” Josh moaned. It took all his focus, but he managed to jerk his elbow back and collide with something that was probably Vas. It was half-soft, so hopefully not his face. “Also, you’re supposed to say something nice back, jerk.”

Vas grunted. His balls almost slapped against Josh’s ass. “Can we do that later?”

“But I– _oh oh oh_ , shit,” Josh tried to cant his hips to chase the bursts of pleasure Vas was setting off inside him but couldn’t. He was pinned, completely at his lover’s mercy. That thought alone made his cock twitch like he was spilling. The feeling threatened to overwhelm him and Josh clenched his fists, body locking up. He had to hold out a moment longer. Just until Vas said it. Time to go in for the kill. “Vas, do you like m– oh, oh, there, OH!”

Josh tensed and went stiff in Vas’ arms as he crested the peak and then he was falling, swept up in pleasure. It rushed up inside him and washed out reality for a blissfully long, perfect moment.

 _Fuck_ , he thought, caught in the middle, thoughts slurred and disoriented. Vas was still moving, but he was also close. Josh could tell by how urgently his hips snapped, making him twitch, oversensitive.

“Josh,” Vas moaned.

Josh perked up. Now was the moment. Right when his control was fraying, just like Josh had planned.

“Josh.”

“Yeah? Give it to me, Vas.”

“Fuck, Josh, I –”

Vas buried his head against Josh’s neck again. He was probably a second away from coming.

Josh turned, kissing what he could reach of him, which happened to be Vas’ hair. “Tell me, Cowboy.”

“I– you, fuck, you’re so hot,” he moaned, the last words turning into a shout as Vas fell over the edge, pulsing deep inside Josh. He was too warm and slick inside to really feel it, with the heat of their bodies bleeding together. Then Vas’ arms gave out and he flopped down onto Josh, blanketing him with even more sweaty warmth. He was still wearing his t-shirt and his jeans. Josh could feel the rough material through his stockings, rubbing at the back of his knees. The thought made his cock give a feeble throb. At the same time a weird, heavy lump settled in his stomach that decidedly _wasn’t_ satisfaction. It felt more like someone had tried to put a dried-up cake back into its cake tin only to find the cold air had warped its form. It took Josh a long, hazy moment to figure out why: Vas hadn’t said it.

Unease swirled and curdled in Josh’s belly, like milk mixed into lemon juice. He stiffened. “Hey. Get off me.”

Vas lifted his head. “Joshua?”

“I said _get off me_ ,” Josh snarled, planted both hands on the dresser top and pushed himself up hard.

Vas slipped from his back and tumbled backwards, hit the edge of the bed and fell onto it.

Josh pulled the sweater down, opening his mouth to say something but it caught in his throat when he met Vas’ bewildered stare.

“Güero?”

Josh swallowed. He wanted to say something snide, something cutting, to direct that worried gaze away from him, but he couldn’t really blurt out ‘I set this up so you would get drunk on sex-hormones and tell me you love me, because I want to hear it.’ And fuck, it hadn’t sounded that awful in his head before.

Vas was still looking at him.

“Güero, what’s wrong?”

Josh yanked the sweater over his wet prick. He noticed, absently, that there was a dripping stain on the wood now.

“Nothing.”

“What did I do?”

“You did nothing.” _Literally._ “I am absolutely fine,” Josh hissed. He straightened, and immediately felt a wet trickle on the inside of his thighs. Cursing, he tried to take a step in the direction of the bathroom, but his knees were shaking. “Fuck,” he muttered, before pitching forward.

Two hands caught him before he could face-plant on the edge of the bed.

Josh flinched away. “Don’t touch me!”

Vas let go immediately, and Josh stepped away from him.

“I told you I’m fine,” he grit out.

“But you’re not.”

“I _am_ ,” grunted Josh and oh, good, his knees had apparently decided keeping him upright would be a good idea. He wobbled to the bathroom door.

“Are you going to run now?” Vas asked quietly, behind him.

Josh stopped at the door and shot him a dirty look. “I don’t run. I walk. To the shower. Because I am a disgusting mess,” he said, enunciating each word as if speaking to a child. “Jesus fucking Christ, how much lube did you use?”

Vas tilted his head. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Why are you upset?”

Of course he wouldn’t let Josh deflect. He was exceptionally good at not letting Josh deflect, and it was, frankly, infuriating. Even more so because Josh _wanted_ to tell him – it had been like that from the very start. Something in Vas made him want to spill his guts over the table _all the time_ and this had been a mistake.

“I am not upset,” Josh yelled. His voice rung out loud enough he felt it ping in his ears.

Vas’ face fell.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_.

Josh leaned against the bathroom door and crossed his arms in front of himself. “I… shit. I just.”

He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly scared of what he would see when he looked up. Soft steps rustled on the carpet, and then Vas’ socked feet came into view.

Josh lifted his head. Vas was in front of him, one hand stretched out to reach for him, to comfort him, but it was frozen in midair. There was uncertainty on his face, as if he wasn’t sure the touch would be welcome. Was this the moment Vas finally saw what a mistake it was and left?

The knot in Josh’s belly curled tighter. 

“I’m sorry. I just wanted you to tell me that you… that you love me. But, well. Apparently it’s– it’s not–” He was fighting against his rib cage to breathe. “Nevermind.”

He turned around and flicked the bathroom’s light switch.

A hand settled on his arm.

“I love you, güero.”

Josh winced. Now he felt like a complete asshole. (Honestly, he felt like that a lot after his plans, whether they succeeded or failed. But he never noticed anything while it was happening. It was only ever in hindsight, and sometimes he wanted to kick his past self for it.) “You don’t have to do this. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that.”

Vas stepped around him, blocking him from entering the bathroom. They were now chest to chest in the doorway. “Shut up, güero. Of course I love you.”

He stopped, flushing.

“Yes?”

Vas looked away, a pained look flickering across his face. “I thought it was too fast. You said you don’t do steady, with anyone. I didn’t want to scare you off.”

Warmth flooded through Josh, squiggling in his belly. “Ah, fuck. That’s sweet.”

Fuck, did he seriously just say that? His cheeks heated. 

Vas blinked up at him through his lashes, which should be impossible because he was taller than Josh, but he still pulled of the ‘sad dog face’ better than any actual dog Josh had ever seen. “You didn’t say it either, güero.”

Josh blushed harder.

Thankfully Vas took mercy on him. He cupped Josh’s cheek, stroking his face, pushing his finger into his hair to pull him down for a kiss. And Josh met him, because _how could he not?_

Vas shoved him against the door frame and their tongues met in a heated rush, thrusting against each other reminiscent of something else entirely. Seconds later – or maybe minutes? – something poked Josh’s hip.

He drew breath, dazed, knowing his lips were shining with spit. “You horndog.”

Vas nuzzled his neck, carefully biting the skin. “Can’t help it. It’s the… thing. You have no idea how hot you look.” He pinched the fabric. “What even is that?”

Josh burst out laughing. “A Virgin Killer Sweater.”

Vas groaned. He leaned in to steal another kiss, pressing his body against Josh and Josh felt the answering surge of pleasure in his belly. He was getting into this. “Hey, Cowboy, wanna take this to the shower?”

Vas’ eyes were huge and dark. He didn’t resist at all when Josh pulled him in.

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: Coffeeandtin. Thank you so much! <3
> 
> Happy Christmas, everyone!


End file.
